Food, Wine, Portland, and #WBC12 …

There is an awful lot to think about/write about when one immerses oneself in an event like #WBC12 (aka the 2012 Wine Bloggers Conference), and it’ll be minutes upon hours upon days upon weeks before I’m able to process and deploy everything I’ve learned/seen/experienced/tasted. In the interim, it’s all spontaneity and improvisation; the scattershot approach to content; the blunderbussational ethos in effect …

There are about 200 posts worth of stories I could tell you about my visit to the Phelps Creek Estate yesterday. Or, I could cut to the quick, and show you this:

Yep. Just what it looks like. A Hay Ride. You’re lookin at a group of Wine Bloggers sittin’ on hay bales behind a tractor, gettin’ ready to head 950 feet up a mountain for a wee bit o’ tasting …

There to be greeted not just by the lovely folks of Phelps Creek, but also principals from Viento Wines, The Pines Vineyard, Cathedral Ridge Winery, and Naked Winery.

Nice!

Meaning, there in the shadow of lovely Mt. Hood, those of us fortunate enough to have boarded Bus #1 were able to taste and enjoy a veritable treasure trove of Oregon offerings …

And, to get back to my original point, there was food! My personal favorite? This lil’ bit o’ deliciousness …

Lovely to taste this, whilst here …

After that, back to the hay bales and the tractors …

But first, did I mention the Chocolate Lab Vineyard Puppy?

Right. Vineyard Puppy. Check.

Now, back to the tractors, and up to the crush pad for dinner. Or should I say, DINNER! Dig this …

Now THAT … is some serious Oregon hospitality.

And speaking of which, I just had lunch at Blossoming Lotus today.

And I’ll tell you this; if you don’t believe vegan food can blow your mind, go to Blossoming Lotus. It will blow your mind.

Now, two last thoughts:

1) There is Old Vine Zinfandel in Oregon, and it’s very nice. Of course I’m partial to our zins, but if you don’t believe proper old vine zin can be well made in Oregon, you might want to reconsider your stance …

2) Thanks so very much to our hosts, what an absolutely f@#kin’ beautiful day.